When I started out as a freelance copywriter, I didn’t even know what client red flags were. Some prospects were virtually waving them right in front of me through their emails and comments, and yet I would ignore them like a naive teenager thinking “i CaN fIx ThEm.”

Now, I know (a little) better. 

And here’s the thing: client red flags are highly subjective. Something that doesn’t work for me might be fine for someone else.

However, after talking about it with some fellow service providers, I realised there are a few that seem to be universal or, at least, extremely popular amongst the freelance squad.

Grab pen and paper.

15 client red flags that make freelancers want to run away from you

If you’re considering hiring a freelancer, please, please, PLEASE avoid saying or doing the following things. 

I actually have a crafty tip later down the article to help you do that even with client red flags that aren’t included in this list.

(And, if you’re a fellow freelancer, please, please, PLEASE start recognising them early on.)

1. “Can I get a free sample?”

“Sure. I’ll use that to pay my bills this month.”

… NOT!

Free samples can’t pay my rent. They also require valuable time and energy I could reserve for my paying clients (or, you know, to do ANYTHING else).

If you want to get a feel of someone’s work before you hire them, that’s totally fair. Go on, and check their portfolio and case studies.

But don’t be the kind of client who expects them to work for free.

2. “I need this done yesterday, LOL” 

As Dr Richard Diston (The Real Security Doctor) said: “I need payment the day before yesterday, in that case.”

This is a BIG client red flag because it shows your company has poor planning and expects freelancers to bend over backwards to make up for it.

If something’s a priority, please contact us as soon as possible. Don’t wait until the last minute and then try and put pressure on us.

We have other deadlines in our diary and can only work so many hours a day.

3. Not following or respecting a freelancer’s process or boundaries

Now, this is one of those client red flags that can look completely different depending on who you speak to, because… well, we all have different boundaries and systems!

“But Giada, how can I be expected to know about them, then?”

Well, that’s why communication is key. Read the materials we send you, and respect what we ask you to do.

For example, some red flags for me are:

• “Can we just jump on Zoom to talk about it?” whilst I’m asking you a couple of written questions to figure out if this is even something I can help with (plus, I charge for initial consultations)

• Expecting additional meetings to be free

• Calling me out of the blue 

• Sending an email at 7 pm on a Friday and then emailing me on Sunday morning asking if I received it (even when you can clearly see in my email signature that my working hours are 9-5, Monday to Friday)

4. “I just need a quote. Can you provide it?”

A client red flag for freelance writer Sean Kivi (and many, many freelancers) is when “a client fails to give the details of a job but expects a quote out of thin air.”

Here’s why that’s a problem: because we can’t quote for a project we know nothing (or not enough) about.

Most freelancers price per project, not per hour. We’re not employees!

Don’t get me wrong: I know budget is important and you need a general idea before talking to us or paying for a consultation. But that’s exactly why most freelancers have some pricing starting points for their services. 

5. Negotiating rates or asking for a cheeky (=disrespectful) discount

MASSIVE client red flag as it shows you don’t value our work.

I’ve fallen for this one before (never again, thanks), and that meant having to work just as hard… for less money. How is that fair?

Some popular variations of this red flag are:

• “Can you give us a cheaper rate? There’s loads more work in the pipeline”

• “What is your BEST price?”

6. Refusing to sign a contract and pay upfront

That immediately prompts a question: what have you got to hide?

If the answer is “nothing” and you’re NOT planning on ghosting us after receiving your project, then signing a contract (and paying a deposit or the entire amount depending on the sum) shouldn’t be a problem.

Freelancers have costs and commitments. We can’t be expected to work for free and wait months for a payment that may or may not come.

7. “It’s not that much work” or “I just need a quick polish” 

“When a client is looking for web copy because they’re repositioning or because their old copy isn’t converting and tells me this, I cringe. Usually, I’ve already seen the website and know we need a total overhaul from the ground up, which obviously includes voice of customer and competitive analysis, among other things. There’s nothing ‘not much’ or ‘just a quick’ anything about that work!” Elle Rosselli, Clear Copy Works

The main client red flag here is that you’re basically telling us how long it should take us to do OUR job.

And guess what? It’s usually longer than you think.

But, either way, it doesn’t matter because we’ve already established that most of us price per project.

To put this into perspective: an IT technician doesn’t charge less just because all they did was press a button. The reason why they knew what button to press (and you didn’t) is that they’ve spent years training and investing money in their learning and development to be able to do that so quickly. 

That’s basically what they’re charging you for. That, and the final result. Not those 15 minutes.

8. Expecting constant availability and micromanaging

News flash: freelancers are NOT your employees.

You don’t hire us to work for you in the traditional sense. We’re here to offer you a service. 

So, we can’t be expected to be available 24/7, pick up the phone when you call out of the blue, send you additional stuff via email (for free), and report to you as an employee does.

9. “Below the radar assignments”

“‘Would you just take a look at _____?”
“_____ will give you an idea of what we want.”

“Could you help us with _____?”

“What do you think of _____?”

They basically want you to do a shi*load of work and tell them where they’re going wrong.” Jon McCulloch, The Evil Bald Genius

Once again, this red flag is about clients (or prospects) not respecting our time and expecting us to work for free.

And in most cases? They end up taking our advice or free audit and using it to work with someone else (=someone cheaper).

Not cool, now, is it?

(By the way, I HIGHLY recommend Jon’s book, The Well Fed Freelancer, to any service provider struggling to enforce boundaries.)

10. Complaining about previous freelancers

“I’d definitely say it’s a red flag if a potential client continually complains about every previous freelancer they’ve worked with — if they take some responsibility or acknowledge their role in it then that’s fine, but if they’re saying that every other freelancer they’ve worked with is basically a scam artist then RUN🏃🏼‍♀️” Grace Hall, copywriter and founder of Crying Over Copy

Yep. 

Don’t get us wrong: it can happen to be unlucky and have a bad experience with a freelancer. 

However, if it keeps happening, spoiler alert: YOU are the common denominator.

I’ve once worked with someone who, as soon as we started a call, told me, “You’re the 5th copywriter I try to work with for this project.”

They turned out to be a nightmare.

11. Expecting us to send a CV or fill out an application form

Once again, we’re freelancers. NOT employees.

You’re investing in one of our services. NOT offering us a job.

As such, you shouldn’t expect a CV. Seriously: I haven’t had one in years.

My CV is my website, my portfolio, my case studies, my client testimonials, my LinkedIn profile, the results I’ve achieved for previous clients, and so on.

You don’t need to know I had a marketing job in 2018 (well, now you do, anyway) when hiring me to write your website copy.

12. “I know exactly how it should look.”

“This is probably the biggest red flag because a client won't let me do the job I was hired for. In my humble opinion, a client that's an ‘expert’ outside of their own field of activity is simply a control freak that will ruin the outcome of a project.” Gabe Marusca, founder & web designer at Digital Finest

Let’s get real, now:

• You’re hiring a professional

• You’re paying them to do a job

• Why on earth would you tell them how to do it?

Do you tell your plumber how to fix a pipe? Or your gardener how to trim a hedge?

I genuinely hope not.

13. Radio silence

“When a client sends you a job, you deliver, then you hear nothing (even though they pay you). Then they get in touch for something else, and the same thing happens. I call them the ‘wham, bam, thank you ma’am’ clients.” Gabriella Sterio, copywriter, editor, and proofreader

This only happened to me once (so far).

They paid me, took my copy, butchered it when they uploaded it onto their website, and disappeared. POOF.

When they came back, they turned out to be an absolute nightmare because… well, plot twist (not really): they didn’t value communication and never answered my emails. 

Duh.

14. “I could do it myself, I just don't have time for it.”

“I do have clients that are actually legit great writers. Some still write some of their content. Some used to. But none of them brag about it. ‘I could do it myself’ generally means they could NEVER do it but don't want to pay you!” Kat Gál, health writer, freelance writing mentor, and creator of the No Hustle Freelance Writer course

Yes. Or it can also mean they genuinely think they can and therefore don’t understand the value of what we do (and aren’t prepared to pay for it accordingly).

For example, just because someone “was good at English” and can write well, it doesn’t mean they can write copy that converts into sales. That’s a totally different skillset. 

15. Changing the scope of the project

“Agreeing to proceed on a project and emailing back ‘oh, can you JUST add this’ and a) expecting it to be done, and b) not expecting it to cost anything extra. Red flag as they won't value your time and will just expect more and more. I learned the hard way early on being a people pleaser! It comes back to bite you!” Joanne Gardiner, content writer & creative VA

A freelancer’s business isn’t an all-you-can-eat. Just because we’ve agreed to a specific project, it doesn’t mean you can get additional stuff out of us without paying for it.

And, by now, we might not even have the availability for it.

How to avoid being a giant walking red flag as a prospect

As promised, here’s a simple trick you can use when approaching a freelancer:

Ask yourself, “would I ask/do/expect the same from a private doctor? Or the CEO of a multinational company?” If the answer is no, then you shouldn’t ask/do/expect the same from a freelancer.

For example, I bet you wouldn’t ask a doctor to perform a small surgery for free before booking a bigger one. You wouldn’t expect them to give you an in-depth consultation for free. You wouldn’t tell them how to do their job, now, would you?

And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t call the CEO of a multinational company out of the blue. Or email them after a day because they didn’t reply to your Saturday morning message.

At the end of the day, freelancers are professional business owners. Treat us as such, and our collaboration will be oh-so-magical! Pinky promise. 

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

A few months ago, I’ve shared some pictures of my writing room during my interview for The Writing Desk series.

So I thought, why not do the same on my website? It’ll give you the perfect excuse to procrastinate for a few minutes, too.

Or, if you’re actually looking for some home office inspiration, I hope you find it in my little jungle of houseplants (spoiler alert).

Minimalist home office inspiration: my overall vibe

Much like the rest of my house, I wanted my writing room to be simple and minimalistic, so I’ve only added meaningful items that are either useful or make me happy when I look at them.

Or that spark joy, like Marie Kondo would say.

The actual writing desk

I’ll be honest: I picked this writing desk two rented flats ago, before I fell head-over-heels in love with industrial decor.

So, unlike the streamlined wood-and-metal pieces of furniture in my living room, it’s more shabby chic, I’d say. 

While I might get a different one once I buy a house, this bad boy has been serving me well so far.

I usually try my best to keep my writing desk free from clutter and only have a lamp, pencil case, laptop, diary, and notepads on it, but… oh well, let’s just say I maaaay have tidied it up (A LOT) before taking these pictures.

My green colleagues

Let me introduce you to my houseplants and succulents.

At the moment, I have thirty scattered throughout the entire house, seven of which in my writing room (no, you’re not counting them wrong: the pot on the right is currently empty).

Sooooo, from the left (on the window sill) you have Grassy, Punk, Quentin II, Nikki, and Roger.

Marylou is the huge monstera who’s slowly taking over the room, and then there’s Jane dangling from the top shelf. She wouldn’t even reach the bottom one when she was given to me as a housewarming present: now her leaves are literally touching the floor! #YasQueen

The view

Unless I scale my business like crazy within the next couple of years and can afford a millionaire-worthy house by the sea or in the forest, I can already tell that I’ll miss this view when I stop renting and eventually buy my own place.

Right now, when I’m sitting at my writing desk, I can only see trees, the sky, and the occasional squirrel or magpie. 

How magical and inspirational is that?!

Shelves with meaningful books

Once again, minimalist shelves. Instead of burying them underneath all kinds of books just to make them look full, I only keep three types:

• Business books

• Books on writing (did you know that I’m an author as well as a copywriter?)

• Books that help me find inspiration when I need it

Well, that’s it. This is my small but cosy writing room, and I hope it has given you some home office inspiration.

What does your writing desk or work area look like? Let me know in the comments!

Also, are you a fellow ambitious female entrepreneur? Don’t leave empty-handed.

Start receiving tips, advice, and content prompts to connect with your dream audience through your marketing copy.

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

‘Oh, you’re a freelance copywriter? Why don’t you use Fiverr or Upwork to find more clients?’

HAHAHAHAHAHNO.

Content mills might sound like a simple way of marketing your copywriting services, but… the reality? It’s usually darker than a Twin Peaks episode.

What’s a content mill?

A content mill (or a writers’ mill) is a website or platform where clients can choose among the services of tons of different writers, marketers, and content creators at extremely low rates.

The sweatshops of the freelancing world, basically.

Some of the most famous content mills are Fiverr and Upwork, but there are now lots of different ones, too.

‘Wait, so tonsof businesses can find your copywriter profile on these content mills? Sounds a lot better than hustling to find new clients every day, doesn’t it?’

HAHAHAHAHAHNO. 

8 reasons why you won’t find my copywriting services on content mills

As you’ve probably figured out by now, I have my own copywriting website that my potential clients can find via search engines. 

I also use LinkedIn and Pinterest to generate leads, and word of mouth comes into play when I least expect it. 

Finally, I occasionally send cold emails with a personalised pitch to companies that I’d loooooove to collaborate with.

When I put it like that, it sounds like a lot of hard work, right? 

Well, wait until you hear about content mills for copywriters.

Here’s why I don’t use them. Or, better: why I stopped copywriting on Fiverr and similar platforms years ago.

1. I tried using content mills for my copywriting services and had HORRIBLE experiences

I’m not an angry hipster who slags off mainstream platforms without even giving them a go. 

Sadly, I have tried using Fiverr and People per Hour (but you don’t have to! Be the angry hipster instead).

While I found the latter to be only slightly better than the platform whose name literally suggests that a project can cost you £5, I still packed my bags and never looked back.

Why? Because of the following reasons.

2. Their system isn’t built to favour and help freelancers

Some aspects can vary depending on which platform you use, but here’s how it works on most content mills:

• You build a profile with a portfolio 

• You create some specific offers that other people can find (e.g. ‘I will write a 1000 word blog post in one day for £145’)

• You look for gigs that are advertised by other people or businesses (e.g. ‘I need a blog writer for 5 articles’) 

• You send them pitches

• If they choose you amongst all the other freelancers who’ve applied, you get to start working with them

In reality, this means that you spend more time applying for gigs and negotiating with people than actually… you know, doing the writing.

You’ll also receive a rating or review by your buyers after completing the project, but you can’t leave them a review until after they’ve given you one (and you can’t see it before writing yours. Cheeky).

While this might sound fair, keep in mind that I’ve heard lots of horror stories of clients asking for free work on top of what had already been agreed upon and threatening to leave a bad review if not delivered.

For real.

And, when freelancers complained or asked for help on these platforms, customer service has usually been favouring the clients instead. 

After all, they’re the ones who bring them business.

3. The prices are unrealistic and plain ridiculous

Content mills are full of gigs like:

• 1000-word blog posts for £10

• 500-word website page for £20

This is ridiculous and unsustainable.

Let’s take the second one as an example.

‘500 words? That should only take you half an hour to write!’

HAHAHAHAHAHNO.

If you want me to churn out a few pretty words, then yes: I can probably do that in half an hour (which still doesn’t justify charging only £20, though).

But here’s what’s behind a website page when I work on it as a professional copywriter:

• Understanding your specific target audience

• Familiarising myself with your brand and tone of voice (or creating a new one for your startup)

• Researching your industry and competitors

• Performing keyword research

• Simplifying your entire message to find the right hook and call-to-action for your audience

• Writing the first draft

• Optimising it for SEO so that it can be found through Google and other search engines

• Editing it and taking UX into consideration

You most definitely cannot expect me to do ALL this for £20, now, can you?

4. The fees make it even worse 

As if the average prices weren’t bad enough, another reason why I avoid copywriting on Fiverr or Upwork is that these platforms also take a huge percentage of whatever we earn.

Usually, 20%.

Now, put this into perspective:

• We get paid £10 for a gig that requires HOURS to be completed

• The platform takes £2

• We pay taxes on whatever is left

• We get around £6 for that gig

How can we be expected to make a living out of something that, in many cases, ends up being even less than minimum wage? 

5. Content mills put speed and cheapness before value

From these ridiculous prices to the big clock that starts an anxiety-inducing countdown as soon as you accept a gig, it’s obvious: these content mills value fast and cheap work over quality and actual long-term results.

Businesses that use Fiverr or Upwork are literally comparing writers based on their prices and how fast they can churn out these words.

If you’ve been tempted to do the same, trust me: that’s not what will help you improve and grow your business!

Excellent copy takes time and requires skills.

6. Freelancing or copywriting on content mills is a one-way ticket to burnout town

Prices that equal to less than minimum wage, spending more time applying for gigs, fees… in one word (well, five), content mills are NOT sustainable.

Let’s say you’re happy to earn as little as £1000 per month.

Considering that these platforms take around 20% of your earnings, this means that you must work on around 120 x £10-projects per month… which usually require HOURS per gig.

And this quick maths doesn’t even take taxes, business expenses, and all the time you’ll spend bidding for gigs into account!

There’s no way you can keep this up without feeling burned out. 

To give you an example, here’s how an ‘Upwork success story’ went wrong.

7. They’re a massive problem for the copywriting industry 

Content Mills like Fiverr and Upwork are doing to freelancers what fast fashion companies like Primark have done to the clothing industry: making people think that a garment should only cost £5 without showing them the dangers and consequences of this mindset and system.

There’s no way I’d be part of this!

For example, what’s behind a £5 jumper?

Sweatshops, underpaid workers, polluting synthetic materials, and, because it’s not designed to last, waste, waste, waste.

Professional freelancers are your sustainable fashion alternative: yes, we cost a lot more than a £5 gig, but we are business owners who live with dignity (or try to, at least), we’ll provide you with a professional service that will help you generate more sales, and you’ll actually see tangible results and an excellent ROI.

Unlike your £5 gig that will require you to pay even more money to fix all the problems it’ll create, our copywriting services are a wise one-time investment.

8. Working with clients directly is MUCH better (for both)

Rather than pitching through those rigid platforms and using their chats, here’s what happens when you work with a copywriter (like me) directly:

• We agree on a REALISTIC deadline

• We sign a contract that protects both of us

• We keep track of everything in email threads and, whenever needed, have phone conversations to avoid potential misunderstandings

• I take the time to research your brand, industry, and competitors before even starting to type a single letter for your copywriting project

The moral of the story is: you won’t find me copywriting on content mills, but we can connect on LinkedIn, you can get free tips from me through my #StayCrafty updates, or you can hire me for a freelance copywriting project through my website.

You know… the one you’re on right now.

My two core services are website copywriting & blog writing for ambitious female entrepreneurs: unlike your average £5 gig, they’re an investment that will allow your business to generate more leads, convert them into sales, and actually stand out against your competitors. 

Let’s stop supporting these unsustainable sweatshops for freelancers!

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Whether or not you enjoy making personal new year’s resolutions is absolutely up to you. 

Some people prefer setting themselves specific goals, some others find it stressful and counterproductive.

Hey, you do you!

However, when it comes to your badass female-founded brand, business new year’s resolutions can make all the difference.

Screw unrealistic diets and all the new-year-new-me crap! 

Let’s focus on actionable business goals that you can implement this year to grow your brand, increase your income, and simplify your working day.

1. Stop trying to please everyone: define your target audience

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again (louder for the people in the back):

When you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one.

It’s an easy mistake as a business owner because you might be worried that fine-tuning your offer and marketing strategy will cause you to miss out on sales from other people.

Well, I beg to differ! It’s actually the opposite.

It’s much easier to concentrate on selling to the right person than to waste time and money with a random group of people that aren’t even interested in what you do.

Most importantly, your products or services should clearly solve someone’s problem. How can you do that if you don’t know who you’re selling to?

Start the new year by identifying your target customers and consider creating some buyers’ personas to keep them in mind more easily.

2. Create a strong(er) brand

Coca Cola, Nike, that little hipster café in town… Whether you like them or not, you can’t argue against the fact that they’re all strong brands.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman solopreneur selling services or a female-founded company shipping products:

for people to remember you and appreciate you, you must build a recognisable and memorable brand.

To accomplish this business new year’s resolution:

• Remind yourself how you can help your target audience and make it crystal clear to them;

• Revisit your website and logo: is the branding consistent, from colors to fonts and tone of voice?

• What are your ethos? Why did you decide to do what you do? What is your business mission?

• Create a brand story;

• As well as your business website, is your branding consistent across all of your social media platforms, too?

And as for the last point...

3. Be social (on the right platforms)

You really can’t afford to miss out on social media anymore.

If you aren’t on any of them, find out on what platforms your target audience is most active and get on them RIGHT NOW.

If you already are but it’s not going well:

• Stop seeing social media as a place to brag about your company’s accomplishments;

• Instead, create an audience-oriented strategy that brings them value;

• Remember the 80:20 rule: only 20% of what you post should be a direct promotion. The rest? Relevant content to educate and entertain your audience;

• Post consistently and interact with your followers.

4. Switch from a newsletter to an audience-oriented email marketing strategy

If you haven’t got a subscribers’ list, this could be the year where you finally create one.

If you do but it’s an old-style newsletter with boring updates about your company, you might want to reconsider your strategy.

After all, be honest: do you (personally) enjoy receiving spam from tons of companies telling you all about themselves?

If you want to stand out, one of the best business new year’s resolutions is to turn your newsletter into an audience-oriented marketing strategy.

Sure, you can still send the occasional promotion, but you want to focus on bringing value to your target audience just like you do with your other content.

5. Remember the importance of work-life balance

This is vital both for solopreneurs and small businesses with employees: 

a burned-out mind isn’t a productive mind!

• If you work on your own, remind yourself why you decided to start your own business in the first place (I bet that ‘to be in charge of my time’ was up on the list) and set some boundaries. For example, no checking emails after 5 pm and no more overbooking yourself;

• If you have some employees, stop texting them outside work hours unless the building is literally on fire. Respect their personal time and days off and encourage them to switch off whenever they’re not working. If you can implement or keep some working-from-home options even beyond the pandemic, I’d encourage you to do so.

6. Achieve the greenest version of your female-founded business

Personally, I have sustainability at heart and, since you live on my same planet, I hope you do, too. 

Is there any chance that you can make your business more sustainable and ethical, this year?

While this should be a personal responsibility, I’m sure you won’t mind me telling you that 33 percent of customers take sustainability criteria into account when choosing what and who to buy from… and that this trend is only expected to grow!

And this goes beyond a product itself: it’s also about your company as a whole.

7. Make your business website mobile-friendly

Over 60% of all Google searches are performed on mobile: are you really gonna risk a Russian roulette by having an old-style static website that doesn’t adapt to smaller screens?

Instead, implement a responsive layout so that your business website looks just as good and user-friendly on phones as it does on larger desktops.

8. Up your SEO game

Social media and word-of-mouth are still important, but they’re not everything when it comes to attracting new customers.

If you want to be found by people who’ve never even heard of your brand but are looking for the products/services that you offer, you need to make your business website easy to find for the right keywords. 

Simple as that.

Depending on your time, budget and current knowledge, one of your business new year’s resolutions could either be to learn or outsource SEO.

9. Subscribe to relevant blogs

If you want your audience to perceive you as a thought-leading expert in your field and to choose you over your competitors, you must be aware of what’s actually happening in your industry.

An easy way to do so is to subscribe to relevant blogs or Google updates. That way, you can be a step ahead of the game and be sure to write timely pieces of content.

10. Start blogging on your business website

Just like you’d go to other blogs for knowledge, guess what? So do your customers!

Not having a blog on your business website is one of the biggest mistakes you can make, but so is having one that’s all about blowing your own trumpet.

‘We’re delighted to announce…’ 

Well, we’re not delighted to read it. Soz.

Your blog should be a consciously created content marketing strategy where you blog about relevant industry-related topics to educate and entertain your existing audience. 

Even better? To attract new customers! Did you know that websites with blogs generate 67% more leads than those without one?

Plus, having a blog will do wonders for your SEO, since each blog post is a new page that allows you to target a new relevant keyword.

Here are all the benefits of blogging for business.

Love the sound of it but...

• Haven’t got time?

• Not sure how to write SEO-friendly blog posts for your specific audience?

I can take care of it for you with my blog writing services.

11. Review your website copy

Now that you’ve identified your target audience, realised what problem of theirs you can solve and created a stronger brand, ask yourself: does my current business website reflect all this?

If it doesn’t, now it’s the time to change it.

You have 8 seconds to impress your visitors before they click away. 

Your target customers must be able to immediately find out:

• Who you are/what you sell

• What problem of theirs you can solve with your products or services.

Obviously, your website copy must also be optimised for search engines.

Not sure where to start? Check out my website copywriting services.

There you go: 11 of the best business new year’s resolutions to start these 365 days with a bang.

Found this helpful? Start receiving more tips, advice, and content prompts. My newsletter helps ambitious female entrepreneurs connect with their dream audience through their marketing copy.

More #crafty blog posts on this topic:

Exactly one year ago TODAY I was waking up after my leaving drinks and with the start of what would have soon turned out to be the seasonal flu.

Still, it was a special morning that I’ll never forget: my first official day as a freelance copywriter. Or, better, of finally being my own boss!

This is because I’ve actually been a copywriter for much longer, and I’d even already had Crafty Copy as a side hustle for a few months by then.

However, what was taking up over a third of my waking hours every week was an office job in a marketing department.

A part of me wishes that I could go back in time and teach my past self everything I’ve learnt during my first year as a freelance copywriter. 

At the same time, though… would I have really found the courage to do it, had I known that a freakin’ pandemic was about to happen? What a time to choose to start your own business!

Anyway, while I can’t go back in time, I can at least share my knowledge with whoever needs it.

So, here are twelve things I’ve learnt in my first year as a freelance copywriter.

One per month.

In no particular order.

1. An entrepreneurial mindset is essential

I wasn’t looking to be a desperate freelancer: I wanted to become a confident business owner. 

To do that, I knew I had to start treating my copywriting business seriously and, most importantly, embrace an entrepreneurial mindset even when I wasn’t used to it.

I’ve always been referring to Crafty Copy as ‘my business’ because… well, that’s what it was and still is. 

And yet, you wouldn’t believe how many times my friends or family would say stuff like, “well, more like your website, isn’t it?”.

And that wasn’t even intended in a mean way! 

I think that lots of people with traditional day jobs don’t seem to understand what having your own business means, but it doesn’t matter.

The important thing is that, as a fellow solopreneur or small business owner, you do.

2. Not all of your friends and family will understand

I touched upon it in the first point, so I might as well warn you about it in more detail: people won’t get it. 

They’ll think that, because you’re your own boss and are working from home, you’re free anytime.

Random calls or disappointed reactions when you can’t make it to their last-minute events? They’ll be your bread and butter, at least for the first few months.

On top of that, get ready for some unsolicited comments on how they don’t understand why on earth you chose to quit a safe job… 

Which is just great, isn’t it?

3. Potential clients don’t care about you, and that’s totally fair

If I could look at the very first version of my website, I’d probably find it as painful as seeing my old, cringe-worthy MySpace. 

“I love writing.”

So-freakin’-what, Giada?

Nobody cares or needs to know that. What matters is and will always be what you can do for your target audience and potential clients.

Focus on that. Yeah, you reading this, too!

4. Content mills like Fiverr are the worst

One of the most important things that I’ve learnt in my first year as a freelance copywriter is…

stay the heck away from Fiverr, UpWork, People Per Hour and any website whose business model is built around quick and cheap work. 

Clients who use these content mills don’t understand how valuable outstanding copywriting really is (and how much it should cost).

On top of that, they have no idea as to how much more expensive it will be in the long run to rely on cheap copy churned out in less than 24 hours by an overworked freelancer desperate to avoid a bad rating.

Wanna get a feel of how demotivating it is to use those websites? Here’s a genuine ‘brief’ that I’ve received through Fiverr: “Make it more marketing.” 

Pleasant alliteration aside, those four words have basically destroyed centuries of grammar and marketing itself.

Plus, when you’re expected to complete 1000 words in a day at the embarrassing rate of $10 AND you have to part with 20% of it (lovely commissions), how can you even try to be a successful business owner?

5. Setting boundaries is essential...

Another helpful thing that I’ve learned is that, in order to be successful and happy with what I do, I need some boundaries, and so do you. 

You need them with clients, friends, family members, and, above all, with yourself.

With clients? Make your working days and hours clear. If you work Monday to Friday, they shouldn’t expect a reply on the weekend.

With friends and family members? You might not be able to pick up phone calls when you’re working towards a deadline or bend to their whims when it comes to planning stuff.

With yourself? Here are the tough ones!

No matter how much you love your job, it shouldn’t be 24/7… or else you’ll burn out. Stop checking emails during evenings and days off, don’t work on weekends unless you’re planning on enjoying some extra time off during the week instead, allow yourself some time to relax, etc.

Which brings us to the next point...

6. … and so is a healthy work/life balance

As well as setting boundaries, you should actively make time for yourself and your hobbies.

Having a healthy work/life balance as a freelancer can mean different things to everyone but, in general, it’s all about making sure that you don’t overwork yourself or sacrifice your free time.

For example, I always start my day by having breakfast and don’t check my emails until it’s time to work. I eat a healthy lunch, I switch off in the evening, and, sometimes, I work from cafés or parks just to make sure I see other people and get some vitamin D. 

Also, weekends are for myself or for days out with my boyfriend or friends! And, if I can take a few hours off to have lunch or a coffee with a mate during the week, you can bet your life I will!

7. Work droughts are part of the job

Ok, I’ll be honest: even though I’ve learnt that they’re normal and happen to most of my virtual colleagues, I still panic sometimes.

Maybe I’ll get used to it over the next few years. Who knows!

After all, being a freelance copywriter means that, some months, you can earn a loooooot more than you would in an agency or traditional company. Some other times? Less than you expected.

Whenever work slows down, the trick is to invest that extra spare time into all the tasks and projects that we never manage to get round to when we’re fully booked.

For example, last time I’ve gone through a dry spell I gave my website a makeover, wrote a few more blog posts to use over the following weeks, and allowed myself to dedicate more time to writing my novel without feeling guilty.

8. The copywriting community is AWESOME

It didn’t take long for me to start seeing LinkedIn connections and other copywriters as virtual colleagues rather than competitors.

I feel so grateful for all the help that I’ve received from this kind online community. We ask other freelancers if they need work when we’ve got too much on our plate, recommend each other to clients who need something more specific, and share helpful advice.

9. Imposter syndrome sucks, but it’s normal

Not sure if this is another one of those things that get better with time but, at the moment, imposter syndrome sucks.

You know that little voice in your head telling you that you can’t do this and that you aren’t as good as you think? 

Yep, that hasn’t gone away, no matter how many happy clients have left me excellent feedback or come back for more orders (although it definitely helps and it feels amazing).

However, thanks to the honesty of the LinkedIn community, I’ve realised that it happens to… pretty much anyone who runs their own business!

So, when this voice tells me that I can’t do it, I’ve just gotta wear my virtual headphones… and do it anyway.

10. Task-batching is super helpful

At first, I used to try and work on a different project from start to finish every time. Now, task-batching is my motto.

Need to write two articles and three website pages? My tip is to perform all the article research in the morning and write the drafts in the afternoon. Tomorrow, do the same with your web pages, and then edit everything the following day.

To avoid wasting time or distracting myself, I also check my emails first thing in the morning, before lunch, and before 5 pm. Not all the time.

11. I actually love being my own boss

Being a freelance copywriter has its ups and downs, but… honestly? I freakin’ love it! 

I don’t know how I managed to work for other people for so long instead of working with different clients. Having someone else decide when I could and couldn’t go on holiday? Not being able to sleep in if I woke up with a headache? Waste an extra hour on top of my eight-hour shift just to get to my workplace and back home?

No, thanks!

12. Taking the leap is scary, but not doing it is much, much worse

Deciding to freelance and start your own business is terrifying, but that’s just because we’ve been brainwashed into thinking that leading an unfulfilling career for our entire lives is better than taking risks.

Do you know what happened when I decided to become a freelancer? Even though I was offered a new job role and a pay rise, my whole department got closed down A MONTH after I’ve left, and most of my colleagues got made redundant.

For real. 

As one of my favourite actors says, 

“You can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.” Jim Carrey

Not just that, but I think the coronavirus pandemic has made it even clearer that ‘safe jobs’ don’t exist. They’re a myth. When you work for someone else, they can let you go at any time, and even the most successful company can fail or close down your branch.

So, if you have an entrepreneurial spirit, you might as well risk everything to make your dream come true  instead of being paid peanuts to help your boss buy a new house, right?

These are the most important things that I’ve learnt in my first year as a freelance copywriter. I hope they can be useful to anyone who’s thinking of quitting their job and starting their business or who’s literally only just done that.

At the same time, I also want to thank everyone who’s supported me, all the clients that chose to invest in my services, and the virtual colleagues who gave me helpful advice when I needed it.

You’re the best!

#StayCrafty